Steam-trap.



Patented May 27, I902.

N. N. HAIGH & T. SUGDEN,

STEAM TRAP.

(Application filed. Sept. 13. 1901.)

7 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

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THE Momma Paws co, PHOTO-LITHO. wAsmNc-w N0. 711L035. Patented May 27,I902.

n. N. HAIGH & T. suantn.

STEAM TRAP.

(Application filed Sept. 13, 1 901.) (No Model.) 7 Sheets-Sheet 3,

TKh xoRRls werzns co, vnmmnnm. WASHINGYON, u. c

Patented May 27, I902.

N. N. HAIGH 8. T. SUGDEN.

STEAM TRAP. (Application filed Sept. 13, 1901.)

7 Sheets-Sheat 4.

(No Modl.)

M M v M W ms "cams PETERS co, mom-umo wasmwcmu, 9 c.

No. 70l,035. Patented May 27, I902. N. N. HAIGH & T. SUGDEN.

STEAM TRAP.

(Application flied Sept. 13, 1901.)

(No Model.) 1Sheets-Sheet 5.

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was mam Farm: to. mom-Mme wnsuluuxou, n. c.

Patented May 27, I902.

N. N. HAIGH & 'I'. SUGDEN.

STEAM TRAP.

I (Application fi1ed 8ept. 13, 1.901.)

7 Sheets-Sheet 6. v

(No Modal.)

Zdz'fnesses:

THE nonms FETERS 0. Puoxuwa, WASNINDYON. o. c

Patented ma 27, I902.

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u. N. HAIGH & T. SUGDEN.

' STEAM TRAP.

(Application filed Sept. 13, 1901.)

7 Sheets-Sheet 7.

(No Model.)

UNrTEn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NOEL NE1V1\TJTJ HAIGH, OF OLDI-IAM, AND THOMAS SUGDEN, OF EAST DULVVICH,ENGLAND.

STEAM-T-TARAP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 701,035, dated May 27,1902.

Application filed September 13,1901. Serial No. 75,275. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Beitknown that we,NoEL NEWALL HAIGH, engineer, residing at Globe IronWVorks, Plane street, Oldham, and THOMAS SUGDEN, engineer, residing at26 Underhill road, East Dulwich, in the county of Surrey, England,subjects of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Steam-Traps, (for which we have madeapplication for patent in Great Britain, No. 6,522, dated March 28,1901,) of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in connection with steam-traps,the object being to provide a trap in which under the expansion andcontraction occasioned by the move ment of a tube or tubes a positivethrust or release of thrust is given to the spindle of a valve, so as toopen such valve at a tim'e'when water accumulates in the apparatusirrespective of the pressure under which the steam-trap islworking.

In the ordinary type of steam-traps as at present commonly constructedgreat difficulty ensues in providing for the efiective working of thetrap at varying steam-pressures, owing to a greater expansion andcontraction arising when the pressures are increased. By our presentinvention we are enabled to utilize the movement occasioned by expansionand contraction, so that no greater strain is induced or given to theoperative parts of the steam-valve at the vary ing pressures under whichit is working. We accomplish this automatically or byindependentiadjustment, as may be desired, to

suit the varyingworking pressures.

In the accompanying'drawings, Figure l is of the tube 2) we connect to afixed boss or portion of the apparatus ct, while the other of the leverr.

end passes through a guide or boss 72 freely and carries upon its outerend a collar 71. or other saddle like member or lever, which thrustsagainst the lever d at i or is connected to a rod or rods for thrustingupon a moving lever a, mounted upon a pivot j at the opposite end of thebracket or casing of the apparatus. We connect the steam-pipe or thelike to the free end of the tube in such a manner that while it isemployed to drain the pipe system or the like it is capable of movingunder the varying temperatures caused when water collects in the pipe.On the end of the bracket or frame in which the tube is fixed we providea plain valve f or a mushroom, equilibrium, or other ordinary type ofvalve, such that the pressure of the steam and water acts beneath thevalve with a tendency to raise it off its seat, and when the valve orvalve-spindle is thus raised from its seat the water which passesthrough the valve escapes through an outletbranch m, suitably providedupon the end of the frame orcasing. The upper end of the valve-spindlewe-cause to be-thrust upon by means of adjustable stud it, as in Fig. 1,or by means of a lover or spring. When employing a lever r, as in Figs.3 and 4, we cause the thrust or movement of the tube 12 to becommunicated by rods 00 to across-head u,which is provided with anadjustable screw 0 for thrusting-against the upper end of the leverr,which is pivoted at t. The lower end of this lever r we cause tothrust against a roller 2, mounteclupon alever 1, thus keeping the valvef onits seat, a small spring w being arranged below this lever to keepthe roller in contact with the cam-like path formed upon the end Wearrange a spring 8 behind the lever r to insure that the lever shallreturn when the thrust from the rods is released, owing to theaccumulationof water within hand the consequent contraction of the tube.

The operation of our apparatus, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, is suchthat when the tube 12 expands the roller e on leverd is caused to movein an are about the pivot g and to travel up the curved lever c, whichthrusts the pin it upon the valve-spindle. The action of this lever andspindle is such that as the tube expands and causes the lever or rollerto move up the inclined or radial path greater pressure is therebyplaced upon the path, owing to the greater leverage of such lever, whichthrusts upon the valve-spindle; but at the same time the steam-pressure,which acts upon the opposite end of the valve f, thrusts outward with agreater force, so that the tendency which would otherwise arise for thevalve to open and to let steam pass when a predetermined pressure hadbeen exceeded does not cause the valve to open, inasmuch as the extraleverage on the thrust-lever c is balanced by the extra pressure on thevalvespindle. By this arrangement of counterbalancing of pressure andleverage we insure that upon water collecting in the steam-trap, so asto reduce the temperature, then the valve will be opened irrespective ofthe pressure at which the steam stands in the apparatus.

In order to assist the valve-spindle, we may place a spring which actsto raise the valve off its seat, and thusto give the constant tendencyfor the valve to be lifted, the moment the pressure upon thespindle-head is reduced.

In another form of steam-trap, which we construct as illustrated in Fig.7,'we sometimes find it convenient to mount the free end of the lever 9so that it acts positively to raise the valve from its seat by thrustingagainst an adjustable nut or collar 21, the spring 17 tending to keepthe valve fon its seat, while in combination with the moving lever 9 wearrange a moving arm to travel up a path formed upon a thrust-lever,which thus increases the pressure on the lever, while the'etfort toraise the valve is constant. We accomplish this in one convenient mannerby connecting a supplementary lever 13, to the moving long-armed lever9, which is pivoted at 10 to the bracket or casing of the trap, and onthis supplementarylever 13 we form a roller or the like 14 for travelingup the inclined or radial cam-like path formed upon the thrust-lever 15,which operates to transmit the thrust onto the valve-spindle or onto apilot inner valve-spindle 18 19, the spring 20 being adjusted to keepthe valve 19 on its seat upon the main valve f. By this arrangement ofvalve the spring 17 shuts the valve, while the lever 9 opens it.

When constructing another form of trap for use, we mount upon thetrap-casing, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, a lever 2, which is inconnection with the moving or free end of the tube by the nuts orcollars y, and we cause the positive movement of the thrust-collars orother member or members on the tube to actuate the lever, while theother or free end of this lever we cause to rest against, Fig. 6, or apin 3, Fig. 5, thereon to thrust against the end of a lever 4:, pivotedat 5 to the bracket. The lower end of the lever& we provide with aroller 6, which thrusts upon a spring-like cam-plate 7, and thus to keepthe valve f on its seat. We provide an adjustable head to theend of thevalve-spindle, as illustrated'in' Figs. 5and 6;

By varying the method of mounting the levers and spring we reverse theoperations of the spring and the lever thrust when so desired for anyparticular type of valve which is to be employed in our improved form ofsteam-trap.

We sometimes arrange a tie-rod p, as shown in dotted lines on Fig. 1, towork in connection with a loose head 0, so as to take the strain off theapparatus, and we allow the block or lever c to slide upon the uppersurface of the boss, while the roller e thrusts against the curved pathto keep the stud It in contact with the valve-spindlef when steam iswithin the tube 1). We prefer to arrange our casing as shown in Fig. 4,so that a large area or long passage q is available for the collectionof water.

When constructing a trap with a minimum number of moving parts and witha valvespindle which is to be adjusted by hand to suit varyingpressures, we arrange the trap as shown in Figs. 8 and 9. In this trapthe tube' 19 contracts and carries with it the thrust lock-nuts y, whichmove-the lever 9, so that its upper end raises the nut 21 on thevalve-spindle f, while the spring 17 tends to carry the valve or spindleback onto its seat. combination with the gland-bush 23 with a collar atend 23 and screwed in the casing at end 25, or the seating may be formedby a separate plug 25, screwed into the casing, and to minimize thefriction of the joint 10 we may form the fulcrum as a knife-edgebearing. Ve provide a dirt-outlet or cleaning hole or plug 22 in anyconvenient position within our casing.

We do not limit the application of our invention to any particular typeof easing or to any special material for constructing the tube or tubesfor receiving the water, and we modify the form of valve and the typesof levers and connections employed to suit the size of valve to beconstructed and the purposes and pressures for which it is required towork.

Having now described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, isr 1. In a steam-trap of the characterdescribed, the combination of an elongated casing or base-support havinga valve-box at one end and a guide at the other end; a thermostaticsteam and Water tube having one end secured to the casing at thevalve-box end of the latter and having its other end looselyengaged withthe guide at the opposite end of the casing, said tube communicatingwith the interior of the valve-box; a valve in the latter controllingthe outflow of water of condensation; and operating connections betweenthe movable end of the tube and said valve. 7

2. In a steam-trap of the character de- We prefer to form thevalve-seating in scribed, the combination of a suitable casing having asteam and water passage-way, a thermostatic tube connected at one endwith the casing and communicating with the interior passage-way thereof,a valve in the latter controlling the outflow of water of condensation,a valveactuating member engaged with the free end of the tube andextending to the opposite end thereof, and operating connections betweensaid member and the valve, substantially as described.

3. In a steam-trap of the character described, the combination of acasing or sup port, a thermostatic steam'and Water. tube, a valvecontrolling the condensation-outlet, a cam arranged to increaseresistance to opening of said valve as said tube expands, and suitableconnections between the tube and the cam operating upon the latter toincrease cam-pressure on the valve with expansion of the tube,substantially as described.

4. In a steam-trap of the character described, the combination of acasing or support, a thermostatic steam and water tube, a valvecontrolling the condensation-outlet, a roller-equipped lever coactingwith the said tube, and a cam engaged by the roller and coacting withthe valve, substantially as described.

5. In a steam trap of the character described, the combination of acasing or support, a thermostatic steam and water tube having one endfixed and the other end free, a valve in the casing controlling thecondensation-outlet, a lever engaged with the valve and compounded witha cam at the fixed end of the tube, said cam engaged with the valve,

and connections between the said lever and the free end of the tube.

6. In a steam-trap the combination of a support or casing comprising avalve-box and having a steam and water passage-way leading thereto, athermostatic steam and water tube secured at one end to a part of saidcasing and slidingly engaged at the other end with another part of thecasing, said tube communicating with the passage-way therein, a valve inthe valve-box of the casing controlling outflow of water ofcondensation, and suitable connections between the free end of the tubeand said valve, substantially as and for the purpose described.

7. In a steam-trap in combination a casing having a doublewater-collecting channel or passage therein, a collecting-tube with oneend secured thereto a valve seating within the casing, means fortransmitting the movement or thrust from the end of the collectingtubeto the valve-spindle substantially as described.

In witness whereof I,the said NOELNEWALL HAIGH, have hereunto set myhand in the presence of two witnesses.

NOEL NEWALL HAIGH. Witnesses:

R. M. NEILsoN, A. HUGHES.

In witness whereof I, the said THOMAS SUGDEN, have hereunto set my handin the presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS SUGDEN.

Witnesses:

THOMAS ELEY, HARRIS W. CORY.

